Dream for San Diego/Tijuana Olympics still alive

Mayor Bob Filner’s proposal for San Diego and Tijuana to jointly host the Summer Olympics in 2024 is still alive. It is a long shot, to be sure, as it was even before the U.S. Olympic Committee said it would require a change in the Olympic Charter to allow two cities in neighboring countries to co-host the games. But there is a promising path forward.

Vince Mudd, one of the key members of a group of business leaders who have been exploring a San Diego-only Olympics bid for months, and who has been in contact with the mayor, says an effort will be launched to change the Olympic Charter. In the meantime, San Diego and hopefully Tijuana will proceed separately with their own bids to host the games. Should the Olympic Charter ultimately be changed, the two cities could then seek to move forward as co-hosts.

There are other Olympic-size hurdles to overcome. To think that the two cities could, in less than a decade, build an Olympic stadium and the other facilities that would be needed to stage the games calls for a large dose of faith. But Mudd counters that some Olympic-quality venues already exist in San Diego. And he believes that the city and its people could move fast if they can be brought together behind a workable vision.

Whether going it alone, or as co-host with Tijuana, Mudd also knows this is a long-haul effort. Perhaps 2024 is overly ambitious. But 2028, 2032 or 2036 are seriously doable.

San Diego has proved that it can produce top-notch mega-events. And Mexico, if not Tijuana, has hosted the Olympics before. Go for the gold.